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Vital Tech Tones: Vital Tech Tones - Vol. 1

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Tone Center
Released: 1998.06.09
Time:
 60:04
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: *******... (7/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.vitalinformation.com
Appears with: Victor Wooten
Purchase date: 2001.11.10
Price in €: 18,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Crash Course (Henderson/Smith/Wooten) - 7:00
[2] Snake Soda (Henderson/Smith/Wooten) - 5:35
[3] Dr. Hee (Henderson) - 8:55
[4] Everglades (Henderson/Smith/Wooten) - 9:39
[5] Two for One (Smith/Wooten) - 5:22
[6] King Twang (Henderson/Smith/Wooten) - 4:09
[7] The Captors (Henderson/Smith/Wooten) - 7:51
[8] Giant Steps (Coltrane) - 5:44
[9] Lie Detector (Henderson/Smith/Wooten) - 5:49

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


SCOTT HENDERSON - Guitar, Producer
STEVE SMITH - Drums, Producer
VICTOR LEMOTE WOOTEN - Bass, Vocals, Producer

MIKE VARNEY - Producer
WALLY BUCK - Engineer
JAMES MURPHY - Engineer
T.J. HELMERICH - Mixing
SCOTT HULL - Mastering
DAVE STEPHENS - Graphic Design
PAT JOHNSON - Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1998 CD Tone Center 40002

Recorded at Neverland Studio, Marin County, California from January 18-27, 1998



Who said there's no such thing as good fusion? Scott Henderson, Steve Smith and Victor Wooten have teamed up to prove the skeptics wrong with VITAL TECH TONES. There's a lot of electricity generated when these three giants get together. Yes, there are chops galore, so the weak-hearted among you might want to stay on the sidelines. For those brave enough, however, there await blazing grooves, blistering guitar and virtuoso solos that must be heard to be believed.

From the heavy opening groove of "Crash Course" it is evident this project was not meant for the Adult Contemporary Happy Jazz crowd. From buzz saw-like power chords to soaring lead runs, Henderson's guitar work is stunning. Smith's thundering solos are evidence enough why he is at the top of his field, and Wooten is the most acrobatic bassist you'll find in the fusion firmament. The slamming "Snake Soda" features all three in a masterful performance of complex meters and solo feats of strength. The Smith/Wooten duet "Two For One" is definitely not for the rhythmically timid. Other powerful tracks include the slinky "Everglades," the Steve Morse sound-alike "King Twang" and the coolest rendition of Coltrane's "Giant Steps" in a long time.



Mike Varney wanted a powerhouse release to inaugurate his “Tone Center” fusion offshoot of Shrapnel Records. He of course thought of some of the very best artists to pull together for this project. I need not go into detail over each artist’s abilities. One or two words says it all -- awesome monsters. For those of you who don’t know, Scott Henderson gets around. With his fine self-formed band Tribal Tech he has released a string of awesome fusion and solo’ed a few hot blues releases. He has worked with Chick Corea, Jean Luc Ponty, Jeff Berlin, and Joe Zawinul. Steve Smith is one excellent drummmer, having worked with Journey, Jean Luc Ponty, Steps Ahead, Randy Brecker, Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Stanley Clarke, Stu Hamm, and many more big names. His Vital Information group is his main jazz project. And who is Victor Wooten? He is the magical low end for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. He too has released superb solo works. So how do these guys do jammin’ together?

I suppose the summary phrases could be: ‘90's fusion, relaxed jazzy finesse, bluesy funked rock jams, room to stretch, great musicians having fun -- playing what they want -- no genre limits here. Only on their cover of Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” is there a guideline and even here they augment, interpret, solo, and play their own brand of tribute with fluid ease and perfection. Ah yes, they also cover Henderson’s “Dr. Hee” from an ancient Tribal Tech release --with a new twist.

For a chance to hear Wooten and Smith boogie down, sample “Two For One”. To hear Henderson go ballistic into the nether regions of fusion, skip tracks to “Lie Detector”. Smith and Wooten were being pushed to speeds where trance-state/ reflex muscle-memory action takes over and the mind quits tryin’ to analyze the next step. Wow! For in-your-face bluesy explosions of guitar in that SRV/Michael Lee Firkins feel, (but way cranked up!), check out Henderson abusing his wah-wah on “King Twang”. My favorite track overall, for inspired, “breaking-outta-the mold”, dreamy Holdsworthian intro, otherworldy mystique, and eerie atmospherics is “The Captors”. It sounded a lot like things Henderson was doing with Tribal Tech on Reality Check. Henderson’s solo, with distorto-alternate-dimension, guitar work reminded me of the sound-worlds John McLaughlin was offering in his guitar-synth experimentations. Superb, superb, superb!

Yeah, there are some tunes on here that didn’t make me go “ga-ga” -- great musicianship but song composition left my mind adrift. But overall this release is a winner. Recommended. This has been a fun ride. I bet they do it again!

John W. Patterson



Calling this group a power trio would not be fair, as it would be too much of an understatement. Guitarist Scott Henderson, bassist Victor Wooten, and drummer Steve Smith are three of the most inventive jazz-rock players who have pushed the style into uncharted waters during the late '80s and throughout the '90s. The clever name Vital Tech Tones infers each members primary bands: Smith's Vital Information, Henderson's Tribal Tech, and Wooten's Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. The combined talent level of the band is astounding and the music created here is a reflection of not only their technical abilities, but also their compositional talents. The program maintains a jazz-rock fusion feel, but there is enough variety in the compositions that raise this above just another blowing session. That being stated, the cover of "Giant Steps" has to be heard to be believed, as does the Jimi Hendrix-influenced "Lie Detector." A very rewarding session that proves that jazz-rock fusion can still be played with conviction, honesty, and integrity.

Robert Taylor - All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2001 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



Guitarist Scott Henderson, drummer Steve Smith and bassist Victor Wooten have teamed up to show that great fusion lives, on Vital Tech Tones. There's a lot of electricity generated when these three giants get together. Yes, there are chops galore, so the weak-hearted among you might want to stay on the sidelines. For those brave enough, however, there await blazing grooves, blistering guitar and virtuoso solos that must be heard to be believed. From the heavy opening groove of "Crash Course" it is evident this project was not meant for the Adult Contemporary Happy Jazz crowd. From buzz saw-like power chords to soaring lead runs, Henderson's guitar work is stunning. Smith's thundering solos are evidence enough why he is at the top of his field, and Wooten is the most acrobatic bassist you'll find in the fusion firmament. The slamming "Snake Soda" features all three in a masterful performance of complex meters and solo feats of strength. Other powerful tracks include the slinky "Everglades," the Steve Morse sound-alike "King Twang" and the coolest rendition of Coltrane's "Giant Steps" in a long time.

Copyright © 1996-2001 Guitar Nine Records All Rights Reserved.



Perhaps a more spontaneous super-trio gathering of the post-70s fusion generation, Vital Tech Tones finds guitarist Scott Henderson chasing the voodoo down with mercurial bassist Victor Wooten (known for his scintillating slap-style as a member of Bela Fleck's Flecktones), and veteran jazz / stadium rocker, Steve Smith. The trio has assembled a wide ranging, often blues-based arrangement of group compositions / jams, and it proves an engaging showcase for Henderson's extreme talent, both in terms of solos and rhythm work. Drummer Steve Smith ably anchors Wooten's miraculous assortment of rumbling, popping, pyrotechnic baselines, most evident in tunes like "Snake Soda."

Tribal Tech fans will appreciate a new, bluesy version of "Dr. Hee," and the track "Crash Course" will clearly appeal to Allan Holdsworth devotees, as it recalls Holdsworth's IOU-era guitar trio arrangements. Perhaps most delightful is the angular interpretation of Coltrane's "Giant Steps," which is a worthy if slightly reckless update of that classic standard. Henderson is one of the few original electric guitar soloists capable of weaving an intelligent flurry of 128th notes with compelling emotional intensity and inventiveness, possessing ideas to match to his level of phrasing and technique. Wooten and Smith are comparable on their instruments, which means this trio typically hits its stride with warp-speed abandon.

Christopher Hoard
Copyright © 1996-2000 All About Jazz. All rights reserved.
 

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